Match Report: Leicester City 1 Spurs 1 & Preview (Everton at home)
There were so many expectations, but we soon came down to earth with a bump. Nevertheless, we didn’t lose; far superior in the first half, lost it in the second and regained it near the end. And who scored for Leicester? A 100-year-old geriatric. Our new club signing didn’t even get on the score sheet; that was left to our defender, Porro.
Our trip (Mel and I) was a smooth one, but once in Leicester, we struggled to find a decent restaurant. Before that, we did see a parking space (for the meal), but that had its own issues (it was a terrible car park for parking and manoeuvring around).
Once that was completed (the parking and the meal), we made our way to the ground and found our usual parking space (which cost £6); only it didn’t cost us £6. Nobody was at the gate, so we drove through as other cars did. It was the cheapest away parking we’ve had in some time. That is the niceness bit dealt with. Now to the game…
The geriatric strikes…
As I said earlier, the 100-year-old geriatric Jamie Vardy marked his return to the Premier League with a goal as promoted Leicester held the new-look Ange team to a draw at King Power Stadium.
Geriatric Vardy scored with the first shot on target, nodding in Abdul Fatawu’s cross from close range just before the hour mark. That goal cancelled out Pedro Porro’s first-half opener as we had been utterly dominant in the opening 45 minutes and should have been comfortably clear before old codger Vardy struck.
Our Summer signing Dominic Solanke, who moved to our club for a fee that could rise to £65m, missed several early opportunities to score on his debut, twice directing tame headers at our opponent’s goalkeeper.
Their equaliser brought Leicester to life, and they could have taken all three points as we struggled to deal with their energy and enthusiasm.
Vardy could have secured the win himself as he was sent through on goal, but Guglielmo Vicario kept out his low strike.
Neither side could find a winner, and while Leicester gained an important point as they strived to prove wrong those tipping them for relegation, we were frustrated after our first-half dominance.
During the game, Rodrigo Bentancur was substituted in the second half after he was injured in a nasty head collision. He received oxygen as he was carried off on a stretcher following a five-minute delay for treatment, but Ange said after the game that he was “conscious and communicating.”
Thoughts…
For 45 minutes, we looked a class above the Foxes, dominating possession and creating chances, but a lack of cutting-edge ultimately proved costly.
Hopefully, Solanke will provide that clinical touch in front of goal this season, but he was guilty of failing to put away opportunities on his debut. He should have at least tested Hermansen more with his two early headers.
Richarlison was brought on to bolster the firing power up front, but he, himself, directed a header wide from a free-kick in the final few seconds as our manager looked at the ground in frustration several times. Very early days.
Dominic Solanke’s debut
To be fair on Solanke’s performance, it is hard to analyse Solanke’s debut. On the one hand, his hold-up play and link-up play were superb, particularly in the first half when we looked so dominant. He also got himself into some unbelievable positions in the box. But on the downside, he should have had a hat-trick against Leicester. He shielded two headers into soft areas in the first half, got his feet higgledy-piggledy in the box several times, and hit one great chance straight at the Foxes keeper. Nevertheless, it’s a good sign that he’s getting chances, and I’m sure they will start hitting the target soon enough. However, the lack of composure cost us a little in the end.
Apart from our new striker, other players ratings against Leicester Titty.
Guglielmo Vicario – 8 – better at set-pieces than he has been. A couple of decent saves, as well. He also wasn’t happy with Bergvall after giving the ball away at the end of the game.
Pedro Porro – 9 – Scored our first goal of the season and whipped in some delightful crosses from the right. He could have tracked Vardy for the equaliser. He went off with a knock at the end of the game.
Cristian Romero – 7 – Didn’t give Jamie Vardy an inch in the first half and was a real nuisance in the Leicester penalty area from set-pieces. In the second half, he went missing for one moment and let Vardy drift off his shoulder, which ultimately cost us.
Micky Van de Ven – 7 – He looks like he’s playing the game in third gear most of the time, then surprises you with a flash of speed and strength.
Destiny Udogie – 8 – It didn’t take him long to get back up to speed. Some of those link-ups with Udogie, Maddison and Son were brilliant. Could have easily grabbed an assist or two in the first half. In the second, he ran out of gas a bit and struggled more defensively. But I still thought he was worth an eight, more so as he came back from injury.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 8 – Neat in possession. He made a couple of mistakes, which you can’t afford, but he grew into the game.
Pape Matar Sarr – 7 – A real workhorse off the ball, which is why he is undroppable. When we are under pressure, you sometimes want more quality on the ball from him.
James Maddison – 10 – Looked much more like his old self. Controlled the play in tight areas down the left and managed to set Son and Udogie away time and time again. His cross to assist Porro’s opener was excellent.
Brennan Johnson – 4 – Had a couple of flashes in the first half when he volleyed two efforts at goal. Beyond that, he struggled to influence the game in the same way that Porro was on the right.
Dominic Solanke – 7 – His hold-up play and link-up play was good – exactly what we have been missing at times. He could have easily had a hat-trick in the first half but missed a couple of headers. Give him time; he’ll probably be scoring those chances, but tonight, it did end up costing us.
Son – 5 – He looked more like himself out on the left, especially in his link-up play with Maddison. He curled a superb cross into Solanke that should have made it 1-0. A few heavy touches in key positions were the difference between an okay performance and a significant one.
As for the substitutes:
Archie Gray – 7 – Came on for the last 20 minutes in the pivot roll and hit the ball around well.
Lucas Bergvall – 8 – Looked so tidy on the ball but almost gave Leicester a goal when he gave possession away in a really dangerous position.
Dejan Kulusevski – 7 – Excellent in the last 20 minutes. They probably should have started the game instead of Johnson.
Timo Werner – 5 – Offered slightly more than Johnson down that right side.
Richarlison – 4 – Missed a sitter of a header right at the death.
Djed Spence – 7 – Came on to replace the injured Porro late on and did well.
Spurs v Everton at the Tottenham stadium.
Anyway, that game is over. Next up is Everton at home. I predicted we would win 4-1 and only managed a draw… but what about the Everton game? Well, we are at home and hopefully, lessons learned from the King Power stadium… so…
My prediction…
2-1 to us (but I hope I am wrong) and that we score more. What we achieved in the first half at Leicester hopefully will be duplicated at our stadium, but with us actually putting away our near misses. The second half will be just like the first, but again, with a few more goals. If we do get our act together, then I shall go for a 4-0 win.
My team line up…
Vicario, Romero, Porro, De Ven, Udogie, Sar, Gray, Maddison, Kulusevski, Solanke and Son
I think Bentancur will be out because of his head concussion, and Gray will take his place. Kulusevski will replace Johnson because of his performance.
If we don’t win, I expect some heavy booing.
That is all, folks!
See you at our Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Glenn
COYS!
My name is Glenn Renshaw.
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This summary is pretty much as I saw it. Just so utterly frustrating to forfeit the win through schoolboy-level mismarking. Ange must be seething. Sonny, I hate to say, has looked a little off the pace and bankrupt of bright ideas for some time now.
We have groomed fast wingers who have one real offensive role: barrel down the channel and get your quality cross in. Last season saw cross after cross from Werner, Johnson and Porro, go begging as Sonny (who for all his quality is NOT a #9) was nowhere near them and nobody else was in the box either. Now we finally have a proper striker, but Johnson provided precious little, his worst performance since he got here, and Timo didn’t even play for most of it. I would have hooked Brennan at half time. Here’s hoping we get the machine clicking on Saturday. COYS!!
I agree with your assessment. Hopefully, a few more will come in before the window closes. In the meantime, I hope—as you say—that the machine boots itself into action.
Thanks for your comments, Alan, and all the best. Glenn